COVENANT
easily trade as a handyman but there is fierce competition and it is a difficult sell. Jamie’s true passion is golf which he practices as a hobby. During his Resettlement he also undertook a custom fitting, club making and repair course at Golfsmith Europe.
The four day business start-up course focuses on Business Planning, Law and Legislation, Marketing, Market Research and Finance and after a cost analysis task, Jamie decided that the financial outlay to set up as a Handyman was too great and would take some length of time to recoup costs. As a Golfsmith club-maker however he would have a niche and lucrative market to work in with little competition. It also came with low start-up costs.
Jamie said: “I am now focused on the business that is right for me and even better, it is my passion. I have a clear aim to gradually start trading in bespoke and custom made golf clubs and repairs. I need to purchase new equipment and my business mentor is advising me of available funding options. I intend to join my local golf society and hopefully start my business from customers in my own club. I already feel more positive for 2014, the course offers a great support network and as my business is also my hobby I will start to make contacts and friends in my own community. If we move I have a job I can take with me and I have already had enquiries passed on from my fellow course delegates.”
Sarah Davies, Florist Sarah has been a service wife for 14 years following her marriage to Alan who serves in the RAF. Over the years they have moved eight times while raising their two children a son aged eleven and daughter aged eight. Sarah has taken a positive approach to her service family life by enjoying the opportunity to experience new locations and getting involved with new communities and as a mum is never short of things to do. Despite her clearly happy lifestyle, she has not been able to take her career in the direction she wanted and has spent the past few years fitting her work around the needs of her family and moves.
Sarah’s first career choice was in fashion, after completing a degree at the University of Northumbria she went on to start her own company producing lingerie. At the age of twenty five she met Alan and took the decision to close the business and start their new life together. After completing a milliners course Sarah went on to produce bespoke headwear, even receiving a Royal commission
www.raf-ff.org.uk Envoy Spring 2014 31
to make hats for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Although, she enjoys designing hats, Sarah doesn’t feel that millenary is an ideal
business option as the work is slow burning and not always cost effective.
Last year, Sarah volunteered to help with flower displays for the Mess and discovered a hidden talent. Following a recommendation she enrolled on a City and Guilds level 2 floristry course and passed with a distinction. “I was surprised to achieve such a great result and realised I could do it as a business. When I heard about the dependants’ business start-up course I jumped on it. I finished part two of the programme in November and I have already started the process to get up and running.
Sarah said: “The course recapped the business modules of my degree and brought
me up to date with current legislation. It is a special and unique programme in that I had the chance to meet like-minded people, specifically related to the military, I didn’t have to start off by explaining my circumstances everyone just understood me.
“My business mentor has been a real help and recommended I set myself targets to stay focused. I set an official start date of 1 Feb 14 to allow me time to get my business administration in order. I have already been asked to quote for a couple of local events, should I be successful I will hopefully be able to capitalise on recommendations and word of mouth.
For the first time, since I have been married I can focus on my future career and look at putting roots down as a family which is exciting. The programme has given me all the practical knowledge I need to set up and I have made such a strong network of friends. We keep each other motivated and inspired and if I need help I just have to ask.”
Emma Duffy, Duffy’s Dog Grooming Emma Duffy is happily married to her husband who serves at RAF Shawbury. In the
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